Still can't launch at Outback Crab Shack so I launched over at Trout Creek and paddled over. Six Mile still has trees down so I could not make all the way back more than a1/4 past the pump house. Saw three hungry manatees chowing down at the Outback dock, several turtles and two gators, including a 10 footer cruising across 6 Mile.

What a great throwback Thursday. Met up with my favorite pancake partner, my daughter Erika for a kayak trip at De Leon Springs, Fl. Starter was cooking our own pancakes tableside at the Old Spanish Sugar Mill, then a nice 8.8-mile paddle.

Ocean to rough to kayak so we grabbed a canoe and headed to a nearby river. Wildlife was limited to birds and iguanas. As big as they were, nearly 5 feet long, they would perch at the end of the branches. Occasionally we spooked them and they would fall out of the trees.

Believe It or Not Trout Creek open with no obstruction all the way to the 16A bridge. My brother Scott and I continued on for another mile and a half going further on Trout Creek than I ever have and probably most other people. It was a beautiful December day 75 degrees and sunny.

Hurricane Matthew hit St Johns County on October 7, 2016. High water from a weeklong Noreaster was followed by this slow moving hurricane. Water levels in the St Johns were at record high levels and forced flooding of Outback Crab Shack which is currently still closed. The main channel of Six Mile Creek is easily navigable by kayak and boats to the pump house at Mill Creek.

Final kayak exploration with my godson Alex. We put in at the ramp at 207 but went upstream until we could not get past a large tree, about 0.8 miles. We had to maneuver around lots of obstacles. We turned around and headed to the creek mouth out at the St Johns. This is a great creek with lots of shady areas, but only one place to exit the boats.

Took my godson Alex out on his 3rd kayak trip during his visit. Moved him up to the 14' Tampico - he loved the speed compared to the guest barge he was using. We put in at the usual place at Ray's Wayside and paddled upstream in search of monkeys. The trip up river covered nearly 5.5 miles and we saw hundreds of turtles and a dozen or so alligators.